carver



June 21, 1927.

T. A. B. CARVER PATTERN CONTROLLED SHEDDING MECHANISM Original Filed" July 10. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 7; Car-aw WW z g f rfi ,v

Jun 21, 1927.

T. A. B. CARVER PATTERN CONTROLLED SHEDDING MECHANISM Original Filed July 10. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 2;1 1927.

I "r. A. B. CARVER PATTERN CONTROLLED SHEDDING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 10. 1923 June 21,1927.

T. A. B. CARVER PATTERN CONTROLLED SHEDDING MECHANISM Original Filed ly 10. 19,2 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 flzarney1 21 192 June 7 'r. A. B. CARVER PATTERN CONTROLLED SHEDDING MECHQNISM Original Filed July 10. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ALBERT BRIGGS CARVER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PATTERN-CONTROLLED SHEDDING MECHANISM.

Application filed July 10, 1923, Serial No. 650,712, and in Great Britain September 8, 1922. Renewed April 21, 1927.

This invention relates to thc weaving ot' damask and kindred fabrics and in particular to the method of controlling the warp for the development oi the pattern and twill, and has amongst its principal objects the removal of certain limitations and the reduction of cost inherent in the use of the usual jacquard machine which, in one or other of its forms is employed when the pattern is of such complexity as to require a larger number of heddles than can conveniently be accommodated in the loom.

According to the present invention the shedding mechanism is grouped in separate self-contained rows of thread lifting actions determining electrically from a pattern plate whether a thread is to be a ground thread or a pattern thread, so that the self-contained rows can be arranged interchangeably and adj ustably in any desired relation to the warp, all the rows being subject to common lifting mechanism for the shed and to con1- mon mechanical control of the twill through twilling mechanism engaging corresponding selecting actions in each group.

With this grouping of the thread-lifting actions it becomes possible, e. to obviate the necessity of mounting jacquard machines high above the warp consequent upon the needles having to be controlled by a card of detinite area and the consequent long mechanical connections required to convey the necessary lifting movements, since the selecting mechanism can be arranged to be easily accessible from the floor to control the warp threads without the intervention of the long harness otherwise required for transmitting the action of the hooks to the particular threads in the warp which it is their duty to.

control. In this case there is provided for each thread a selecting action contained in a group which can be mounted adjacently above the warp threads which it controls and within a horizontal space not greater than that occupied by these threads. For example. a group of selecting actions for 40 tln'eads can be constructed to occupy no more than {1; of an inch laterally. It is thus possible by such means to control 128 threads per inch or any less number. the groups of selecting actions being mounted to permitof lateral spacing.

Secondly. it is possible to eliminate the reversal of twill which is inherent in all cloths with a turn-over repeat in which the twill is performed by a jacquard machine, because by choosing for the number of Selecting actions con'iposing a group a multiple of the twills most generally in use, e. 40, I can bring all the selecting actions for say every fil'th or every eighth thread into one line from side to side of the loom and so easily subject them to a control common to all the fifth or eighth threads throughout the width of the cloth, thereby securing the same efi'cct as heddles in the heddle and harness system of weaving.

Thirdly, to secure the advantages of what is known as the self-twilling system without foregoing the possibility (unavailable in present jacquard machines) of the twills in the ground and in the figure or pattern being run in opposite directions or being changed to ditl'erent twills as may be required for different qualities of cloth woven in the same loom. I provide the selecting action for each thread with two lifting members which I shall call the ground litter and the pattern litter and upon which respectively the ground twill and the pattern twill are performed, and I arrange the action which determines whether a thread is to bea ground thread or a pattern thread to engage the thread with the ground litter or with the pattern litter, as the case may be; or I may provide a single lifting member which can operate alternatively as a ground lifter or a. pattern lifter. The actions controlling the two twills are quite independent and consequently the two twills may be the reverse of one another, or they may each of them be of any lcatt which the particular quality of the cloth may demand, so long as it is within the scope of the numberot selecting actions in one group,

Fourthly the actions determining whether the threads are to be ground threads or pattern threads are electrically controlled and I am thus enabled to take advantage of the great economy effected by the well known method of reading through 'teclers, one for each selecting action or one for two or more selecting actions. as desired, equally spaced in a row with their ends extending in a straight line across and touching in proper synchronism with the plate movements and current changes a metallic plate upon which the pattern. appears as conducting and. the

(ill

ground as non-eomlueting rualeriah or corn rersely.

Further, to secure the advantages inherent in what is known as the SOI'l'lhOPOH shed in weaving ,1 provide in each selecting action lifting members arranged in pairs which are either themselves raised and lowered respectively by two memliie'rs which reciprocate vertically in substantially simple harmonic motions of the sameperi-od but in opposite phase. or control the raising and lowering ot the parts hereinafter referred to as pat-tern selectors. These lifting members cooperate with two vertically guided but relatively tree members known as the pattern selectors, which in turn are correlated. with a member rratically guided. e. Q. in the pattern selectors themselves, a nd suitably attached lo the warp thread. '1 The pattern selectors have vertical slots of the same length approaiinately as'lhe lift, so that they can impart to the common inemliier before mentioned, whiel'i may be called the roi'mnon litter. the samemotionas the tail connected with a. pair of hooks in a double lii t jacquard machine. In certain instances the limitations in regard to the turn-over of the twill and the employment of harness may be admissible, and in such cases the appropriate number of groups of selecting actions may be mounted as warp controlling: machine high above the warp in the manner inwhichjacquard machines are employed at present, the operations controlledby the groups of selecting actions-being eitected'throngh the usual harness employed in looms using ordinary jacquard machines.

In this method or usin the present invention. as in that hereinbetore referred to, the shedding; mechanism is grouped in separate selt-eontained rows ot thread-lifting; actions determinimr electrically from a pattern plate whether a thread is to be a ground thread or a pattern thread,'so that. the selt contained rows can be arranged interchangeably and adjnstably in any desired relation to the warp, all'the rows being subject to coniunon liftingmechanism for the shed and to common n'ieehanical control of the twill through twilling mechanism engaging corresponding selecting actions in each'group.

A. machine constructed in accordance with my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 being a perspective View ot the general aiiranpgementof the e. ceutial parts; Fig. 1 a similar View of one o." the groups oi selecting actions with cover plate removed: Figs. 2- and 3 perspective views onau enlarged scale showing alternative arrangements of the selecting action. for onethread; Fig. l. a further modification of: same; Fig. 5 a detail in perspective; and. Fig. 6 a perspective View illustrating a modified application of the invention.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 1 and 2, the

groups ll (Fig. 1) 0t selecting actions.

'lhese groups, oil? which only eight are shown in Fig. l for the sake of clcarness, are supported on a frame S above the warp at a. height acressil'ile to the operator trom the 'lloor and laterally adjustable thereon in the slot lllfthis frame also carrying the th illing bars Q; (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) and their controlling mechanism U, together with rocking or reciprocating u'iembers V to convey the lifting action from the loom Shall; to the hitting members M (l ig. 1") in the mumps of selecting actions.

The machine comprises also the readen- S 'l'lflll'll. or pattern mechanism contaiiiiing the row of feelers ll and the mesmmism tor appropriately 'i 'e'edinc; the metallic pattern F... and the 'leelers connected with the coils of the individual magnets ii in the selecting; actions by groups of flexible conihietors Y which enable any leeler to be consorted with any one or more selecting; actions. in this manner ll am enabled to perterm the selection between pattern and ground tor an portion or portions of the warp from any section or the metallic pat tern. securing the advantages at present ob-- tained by repeats, whether straight or reversed, that is to from the same sectioi'i ot the metallic pattern I can, by connecting the same feelers with selecting actions in dil'lerent parts of the warp, repeat the same section of the design one or more times as desired to read either from right to left or l from left to right. By these means, just as in ordinary practice the use of straight or reversed. lfil llll enables the cloth to he covered with pattern :l'rom a sn'ialler number ojl' cards, the cloth can he covered with pattern 1.05 lrom a smaller pattern plate.

in snonn n u re. 4.. ,1 pass eacn thread or the warp A. through a mall lil in the usual manner and l employ the usual llugyoe l e to return the thread to its lowest 110 l connect the mail almre the wa p;

e rher directly or preferably tllll)ll;.3jll a coni) so as to enable the roupeoi select- 1 lotions to he removed rent the neeea I cutting: out the warp with what :i hare referred to as the common litter lil. which mry consist oi. a thin narrow ll ill] plate guided in the frame of tl e grroup ol' :erolecting actions so as to hare only one de gree of irecdoin. viz in an a'p 'irou"zualelr vertical line through a range equal ielll't and prr 'ide at the top olf this ll ll or other suitable engaging: dez'lr. projertl-a an equal distance at right the surface of the'pl on each side o litter into the slots in the pattern se v which may be conveniently ar the same width as so as to have one degree of freedom or ment parallel with that of the common lifter. The length of the slots in the pattern selectors F. F and the position of their ends relatively to the pin E in the common lifter E are such that supposing the two pa'ttern selectors to be given simple harmonic motion in a vertical line in phases half a period displaced from one another. they will perform upon the common litter and therefore upon the thread of the warp, the same action as is performed upon a thread by any pair of hooks controlling the same thread in a double lift jacquard machine.

l lach pattern selector in the construction of Fig. 2 is provided with an armature G. G a projection G" from which is arranged to engage with the pattern lifter H if the armature is attracted to the magnet J excited hy current from the metallic pattern, and with the ground lifter H if the armature is not attracted by the magnet against the force of a spring tending to keep it in that position; the pattern and ground lifters consisting conveniently of plates of half the breadth of the pattern selectors so as to be accommodated with one degree of freedom in a vertical line in the same direction as the pattern selectors and common lifter. The ground and pattern lifters are provided at their upper ends with upwardly projecting hooks K or similar engaging devices which engage and disengage with corresponding hooks or projections L at the lower edge of a common lifting bar M which, by means of rack V and pinions V (Fig. 1) or by any other convenient driving device is given reciprocatijng motion in a. vertical line to produce the appropriate shed in the warp.

I have already referred to the performance of the twill in the ground and figure respectively by a twilling action upon the ground lifter for the ground twill and upon the pattern lifter for the pattern twill. This action I will now described. lVithin a short distance from the lower end of its range of vertically reciprocating motion each common lifting bar M with its downwardly projecting hooks L is deflected, as for example by means.of a spring (not shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings) in conjunction with the shaped frame bar N, slightly in a horizontal direction and continues its downward movement in a new vertical line in which the engaging portions of the hooks L are clear of the engaging portions of the hooks K of the lifters. Now if. when the common lifting bar M returns upwards through the same path the engaging portions of the hooks of the ground or pattern lifters are above the engaging portions of the hooks. on the lifting bar when the lifting bar is deflected back into the line of the greater part of its vertical movement. the hooks on the common lifting bar will engage the hooks of the ground or pattern lifters, but if the engaging portions of the hooks on the ground or pattern lifters are below that point, the hooks of the lifting bar will. not engage the hooks on the ground or pattern lifters. I can thus (tOlOl'llllllG whether any ground or pattern litter is to be raised by the common lifting bar or not by controlling the position of its hook in a vertical line during this part of the cycle and this I do by allowing the ground or pattern lifter to rest upon a projection 0 (Fig. 2) from lift control bars O. 0 arranged vertically above the ground or pattern lifters and extending upwards through the frame of the group of selecting actions, such extensions being represented by pins Z in Fig. l. The lift control bar is caused by a spring P always to tend to raise the ground or pattern lifter into the position in which its hook will be engaged by the corresponding hook on the common lifting bar when the latter is deflected horizontally, but a downward force at its upper end will depress the spring of the lift control bar and allow the ground or pattern lifter to take up the position in which its hook. when the common lifting bar passes through the engaging point. will not be engaged. The portions Z of the lift control bars which project upwards through the frame of the group are so disposed that a straight twilling bar Q running from side to side of the loom can effect the downward movement on all and only corresponding lifters in each group. In Fig. 1 three such twilling bars Q, are shown, the remainder being indicated. I may employ any convenient movement to give the downward movement of the twilling bars. for example I may provide in them slots (1, Fig. 1. at an angle approximately of 45 to the vertical. and I may mount the bars on stationary rods 7) passing through these slots. so that a horizontal movement at the ends of tho twilling bars will give the downward movement to depress the row of lift control bars. Through the agency of a pegged drum U or by an ordinary punched card or by a drum drilled with suitably distributed holes. or other con venient selecting arrangement. I give the horizontal movement to the twilling bars. which may he returned by a spring. to produce the desired twills iu the ground and figure.

I can now describe the action taking place in any group of selecting mechanisms. From the shaft of the loom. I drive a rocking bar or rack V Fig. 1. or similar driver. to and fro from front to back of the loom and from this horizontal reciprocating moven'ientrotary movement is imparted to pinions c driving the racks c or other convenient driving device to produce in the common lifting bar M with its downwardly projecting hooks L the vertically reciprocating move- Iii) inent through a range to give the appro priate shed in the wa Each group of so looting mechanisms has, as I have already described, two conunon lilting hars M moving with approximately simple harmonic 11'l tion in a vertical. line in phases halt a period (lisplaced from one another. Considering, however, the action on any one lifting har, through the agency of the twilling hare Q, and the lift control bars 0, the ground and pattern litters will he raised in accordance \"viith the twill desired, that is to for example, it a 5 leal twill is to he performed 'ipon the grouiul and an 3% leaf twill upon the figure. any ground litter will he raised once in every live shots and any pattern litter will he raised :tor e ery shot except every eig l'ith. lrhen the litters; H H with their corresponding; pattern selectors F. F are about at the lower end of their range the pattern selection; action operates, that is to say it the cor. .spondiug :leelei is in contact with a metallic portion oil the pattern plate tho corrospmdin mag net will he energized and the corresroondinn armature will he attrzuxued to engage the pattern selector with'the pattern litter, and it the teeler in contact with an insulated portion of the pattern plate the spring return will cause the armature to engage the 7 i L 3 pattern selector with the ground hater. Through the agency therefore of the coiniuon litter E a warp thread will he raised at every upi 'ard movement- Of the common liittinr; liars, except every eighth, it its 'teeler is in contact with a metallic portion of the pattern plate, and it will he raised by every titth upward nlovernent of the common li ttiii; har rt its Eteeler is in. contact with an insulated portion of the pattern plate.

i have already desu'ihcd, the condition litter is acted upon hy a pair oit pattern selectors and in the construction'o't 2 hy two pairs oi ground and pattern litters to pri'nlucc the same action as that of a double lit't nun-lune. and the twilling hars Q; controlling); the two pai s ol li'tt control hars O. (l :tor each thread are act rated tron: their selecting; arrangement as to produce among); the alternately rising: and falling pairs o't' ground and pattern l tters the twill. desircth tor example Ideal in the ground and] 8-lcat in the figure.

The same selecting; action may he :lCl'llCVQtl by the alternative ar 'angcn'ient of parts shorm in i e the twilling l irs Q; impart ti le pattern l ground litters the sinye movement is in'iparted in hi. 2 to t 0 lift control hare J and the ar niiatu re G is mounted on a lift control bar (Fig. instead of upon the patteri selectors F F At their upper ends the selectors F. F terminate in hooks engaging them with the common littingbar in the saiueway the pattern and ground l" 3' ing with the lift contril har t. and has at its lower end a pin G which, hy the moveoi the qrinati'. 1 towards and away t to one side or the oted on the lift control utter carried downwards 'ane'e hy the vertically re- 'tlt ha r t)" when the ii to the end or its'i ciprocatii'ig lTlPillllQF and when the lift control bar is urged upwards again hy the spring if it is allowed to rise or not, accordas tho twillio; her Q then in register the upper end oi the rocker O is raised meted in its path.

the bar M to cause the to movement or out and diieugrageinent of the hooks .Ml Y may he etlected by the means shown in hip; 5, in which the bar Id is mounted 1L. cal tr reel connnunicated lOLiltlllQ; guide har M, this movenient being to the bar lh. through a lever r pivoted on; a downward extension .9 iroi'u the guide har M. li hen the latter is driven downwards hy the reciijn'ocating mechanism the lower part oi the lever 1' strikes upon a roller 25 journalled in the frame and moves the bar M .into the position in which the hooks are out of en grageine it its the guide bar it rises ingrain returned by i the hat the spring u to the osition in which the hooks engage each other. i

' in the arrangement soown in Fig. (5 corresponding parts are indi nted h) the reference characters ei'i'iploved in Figs. l5. In this arrangement the groups of selecting actions P are niouiirted. as an ordinary jacquard l' above the warp and the opera;- tions woica they control are e'liiected by means oi? the harness indicated generally by l which is usually employed with ordinary jacquard machines and which in the apparatus of Fig. 6 connects the mails ll ihove the warp either (lire-rid or through a coupling with the conunon litters 13 of thoseleeting actions It. i

Having thus ('lcscrilmd the nature oi: the said invention and the host means I know oil? :arryinp; the same into practical eii'ect, I claim i I "1. .ln appantus for the weaving); of damact: and thelilre. lifting; actions chntrolling each separate thread and grouped in separate laterally adjustable self-contained rows. selecting elements in said lifting actions, and

1 slide horizonh ll in the vortimeans for operating electrically said selecting elements to effect the selection between pattern and ground.

2. In apparatus for the weaving of damask and the like, lifting actions controlling each separate thread and grouped in sepa rate self-contained rows which are interchangeable and adjustable laterally with respect to the warp, selecting elements in said lifting actions, twilling mechanism engaging corresponding selecting elements in each group of thread-lifting actions, and a common mechanical control of the twill in the pattern and in the ground independently operating through said twilling mechanism.

3.111 an apparatus for the weaving of damask and the like, lifting actions controlling each separate thread and grouped in separate self-contained rows which are interchangeable and adjustable late ally with respect to the warp, selecting elements in said lifting actions wherein the selecting action for each warp thread comprises a ground litter and a. pattern lifter, means for operating said ground and pattern lifters according to the twill in the ground and pattern respectively, means whereby the ground and pattern lifters are alternately engaged with the thread in accordance as to whether it is to be a ground thread or a pattern thread, twilling mechanism engaging corresoonding selecting elements in each group of threadlift-ing actions, and a common mechanical control of the twill in the pattern and in the ground independently operating through said twilling mechanism,

t. In an apparatus for the weaving of dam ask and the like, lifting actions controlling each separate thread and grouped in separate self-contained rows which are interchangeable and adjustable laterally with respect to the warp, selecting elements in said lifting actions wherein the selecting group for each warp thread comprises a ground lifter and a pattern lifter, means for operating said ground and pattern lifters according to the twill in the ground and pattern respectively, means whereby the ground and pattern lift ers are alternately engaged with the thread in accordance as to whether it is to be aground thread or a pattern thread, said latter means being electrically controlled, twilling mechanism engaging corresponding selecting elements in each group of threadlifting actions, and a common mechanical control of the twill in the pattern and in the ground independently operating through said twilling mechanism.

5. In an apparatus for the weaving of damask and the like, lifting act-ions controlling each separate thread comprising a lift bar operating alternatively as a ground lifter or as a pattern lifter, the lifting actions being grouped in separate laterally adjustable selfcontained rows, a control element, ground twilling and pattern twilling mechanism, and means whereby the control element is brought into operative relation with said ground twilling or pattern twilling mechanism.

6. In an apparatus for the weaving of damask and the like, lifting actions controlling each separate thread comprising a lift bar operating alternatively as a ground lifter or as a pattern lifter, the lifting actions being grouped in separate laterally adjustable self-contained rows, a control element, ground twilling and pattern twilling mechanism, means whereby the control element is brought into operative relation with said ground twilling or pattern twilling mechanism, and a pattern plate from which the control element is electrically operated.

7. In an apparatus for the weaving of damask and the like, thread lifting actions controlling each separate thread and grouped in separate laterally adjustable self-conta ined rows, the rows of thread lifting actions being mounted adjacently above the threads which they control, selecting elements in said lifting actions, and means for electrically operating said latter elements to effect the selection between pattern and ground.

8. In apparatus for weaving damask and like fabrics, lifting actions controlling each separate thread and grouped in separate selfcontained rows, selecting elements for each warp thread in said lifting actions comprising a ground lifter and a pattern lifter, means for operating said ground lifter and pattern lifter according to the twill in the ground and pattern respectively, and electrically controlled means whereby said ground lifter and pattern lifter are alternately engaged with the thread.

9. In an apparatus for weaving damask and like fabrics, lifting actions controlling each separate thread, selecting elements in said lifting actions comprising a lift bar, operating alternatively as a ground lifter or as a pattern lifter, and a control element, ground twilling and pattern twilling mechanism, a pattern plate, and electrical means controlled by the pattern plate whereby the control element is brought into operative relation with said ground twilling or pattern twilling mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS ALBERT BRIGGS CARVER. 

